


Song of Merriment

by HexalianRebel_FeatheredPanda



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Gen, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:26:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26502100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HexalianRebel_FeatheredPanda/pseuds/HexalianRebel_FeatheredPanda
Summary: Panda's Notes: Might be a little obsessed with this game, I'm afraid. ^w^
Relationships: Orpheus & Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 50





	Song of Merriment

**Author's Note:**

> Panda's Notes: Might be a little obsessed with this game, I'm afraid. ^w^

Orpheus leaned on his lyre, staring at the tile under his feet. Another night was passing, it seemed, with not even a hint of anything resembling inspiration. The musician heaved a sigh, trying to keep at least a little quiet as a shade or two glanced over sympathetically.

He flinched as he was ripped out of his headspace by a chair thumping in front of him. Zagreus slipped around the chair and fell into the seat with a grin, crossing one leg over the opposite knee. “Evening, mate.” He said casually, resting his chin on one hand. “How’s the chair tonight?”

Orpheus hummed, a smile hinting on his face as he shifted in his own chair. “Greetings, highness. I suppose it’s fine. Becoming a bit less uncomfortable, I believe.”

“Come now, it can’t be that bad.” Zagreus had not-so-subtly altered his posture no less than five times since sitting down, smirking as Orpheus shook his head with a chuckle. “I have come with a goal tonight though, my friend. Perhaps, a request.”

Orpheus looked away, leaning a bit more into his lyre with another sigh. “My prince, if you’ve come to request another song, I’m afraid my answer would still be the same.”

“Ah, don’t fret, mate. It’s more of an, ah… A different type of performance.” Orpheus seemed intrigued, at least, though rightfully uncertain. “Here, I wanted to show you this.”

He sprang up from the chair, stumbling in a possibly intentional way before taking a firm stance as a pair of gauntlets was summoned onto his hands.

The shade blinked, a hint of color on his cheeks before he smiled and tapped his lyre in one-handed applause. “Very nice, my prince. Are those new then?”

“Afraid not, my friend. I’ve been quite enjoying these on the battlefield. They’re known as the Twin Fists of Malphon and let me tell you: sometimes there’s nothing more satisfying than a fair round of punches. ‘S therapeutic, really.”

Orpheus stared again, eying him and his weapon as the prince seemed look between the gauntlets and him. An almost crooked smile attempted to commit itself on his face, his fingers curling against his lyre. “Surely, you aren’t suggesting I—”

“Oh, no!” Zagreus covered his mouth at his sudden volume, dispelling his weapon; and Orpheus shrunk in the chair as they both stole a glance at Lord Hades. “Bite your tongue, you wretch. You mustn’t tempt me, now. I’ve a hard enough time teaching myself to use these things.” His already flimsy false tone fell into a fond look as Orpheus’s soul suddenly seemed alight. A sort of mischief still played about him, and he looked on his lyre thoughtfully before it seemed to start fading. Zagreus found something like a tiny panic fluttering his heart at the thought of losing this.

“Ah, my…” He spoke up again, slipping back into the empty chair and crossing his legs. “You’ve distracted me, mate. I came to you with a mission if you recall. And I’m beginning to find that it’s more dire than I thought.”

“Dire? I admit I failed to get that impression earlier, highness.”

“Dire indeed, I’m afraid.” He rose from the chair, rescinding most of the meter of distance that had separated them. His hands moved, sudden but targeted, latching onto his knees. His face lit up at the full-bodied flinch that shot through Orpheus’s frame. “You see, I’m considering an instrument of my own. Not quite as complicated as a lyre but just as melodious.”

“Zagreus, you—” The shade jumped as his knees were pinched again, clutching the side of his lyre nervously and avoiding the smug grin that Zagreus levelled at him as he tipped his head. “Y-You strike me as sort of a Toubeleki or Klarino—”

“I’m going to tickle you, you mirthless minstrel.” Zagreus interjected bluntly, glaring sharply into his eyes despite his dazzling smile. “Although maybe ‘mischievous’ might suit you better tonight.” He attempted to keep eye contact with the snickering musician, unable to resist a chuckle of his own as he lunged closer to him and moved his hands up to Orpheus’s sides.

“W-Wait, I—Highness, please!” The shade cried out, his free hand pressing feebly against the godling’s collarbones. Zagreus grabbed the offending wrist, and Orpheus convulsed under his hand as it moved up his ribcage.

“Ah, right there?” Zagreus asked playfully, hooking his fingers to perform the same rough scratches he used on Cerberus. “Come now, sing me this song at least.”

Zagreus was somehow surprised that this request was rewarded; Orpheus’s soul shone brightly as laughter shook his frame. He was writhing and trying to pull his hand free, his right hand drawing back from around his lyre to assist in this battle.

“Oh, there’s a warrior in you after all!” The prince taunted him, moving around to stand over the arm of the chair. “You want your hand back, then? I don’t know if I should~” His own hand met Orpheus’s palm, nails dragging over the callouses that proved his practice. The shade spasmed, a cackle jumping from his throat as his fingers attempted to clench around Zagreus’s hand.

“Zagreus…” Lord Hades growled lowly, presumably at the noise. The other waiting shades were quite distracted as well, some whispering about the rarity of Orpheus’s smile.

“Father, come on now, don’t be a spoilsport.” The prince griped with a roll of his eyes, smirking to himself as the shade’s free hand palmed the side of his face. A curl of Orpheus’s fingers made him cry out and jump back, covering the eye he’d unintentionally jabbed. A barely stifled snort sounded from behind the desk while Hypnos cackled tauntingly from his post.

The Court Musician had flinched, his instinctive attempts to catch unneeded breath interrupted by the realization of his crime.

“M-My prince—” He stammered, his face going pale as Zagreus’s blood-red eye seemed to glow as it bore into him. “Zagreus, I—”

“Blood and Darkness…” The prince stood tall, eyes narrowed as he raised a hand and summoned one of his gauntlets. He studied it again, eyeing the rounded, barely hooked fingers before returning his gaze to his offender. “You’ll find no mercy from me this time, mate.”

The realization struck Orpheus a bit sooner than others, even with Zagreus stalking toward him. “N-No, wait, don’t you dare!” He yelped, embarrassment lighting his face again as the entire court was watching them again.

Zagreus’s lips twitched: a cracking façade as he lunged at him once again. “Losing my touch, am I?” He asked, taking in the new bouts of laughter as Malphon’s dull claws squeezed and wiggled into the meat of his side. “You’re not afraid of me anymore? Just from a few tickles? Maybe I ought to gut you right here then.” His hand curled into a claw, scratching and occasionally scribbling across Orpheus’s belly while his free hand wrangled one of the musician’s wrists again.

The scheming prince found himself losing track of the already flimsy steps of time as he focused on which tactics made Orpheus’s soul dance and glow the most as the shade ‘s struggles grew a bit weaker. He reached out, summoning the keepsake he’d chosen for his previous run: the Harpy Feather Duster that Dusa had so graciously parted with for his sake. Orpheus scrambled a bit, giggling helplessly and attempting to shrink further into the chair as Zagreus cornered him with that devious grin and the bright blue feathers in hand.

“Court will now reconvene. You two, enough of that racket.”

Zagreus blinked, disappointment in his eyes before it shifted back to his normal disdain. “Father, really?” He huffed, admittedly childish as he turned and crossed his arms. He blinked, and Orpheus flushed at the sight of the long line of shades, likely backed up with the distraction.

“Selfish brat…” Hades huffed with a familiar roll of his eyes. “I’d thank you to at least consider that some enter this hall for business matters.”

“Tch. You’ve got me there, I suppose.” The prince scoffed, looking down at the duster and setting himself back into his empty chair. “Looks like I’ll have to torment you some other time, mate.” He rested his chin on his hand, leaning on the arm of the chair as he watched the other shades moved down the line.

Orpheus smiled a bit tiredly on the pouting prince, his mind feeling clear for the moment. He glanced over the arm of his own chair, where Zagreus had moved his lyre in all the chaos.

Notes fluttered hesitantly through the air, and the prince froze before turning slowly toward his friend. Orpheus glared determinedly at his instrument, apparently hunting for a specific sound. He took a breath, fingers curling through strings as a patient, flowing melody took off.

“Orpheus?”

The musician smiled, still tired, but pleased, it seemed. “If you are truly thinking of an instrument, I only have a skill set for a few. And even then…” He gave a hint of a shrug. “The lyre was my life, you see.”

Zagreus scrubbed his palms over his face, smiling in disbelief. “You must tell me that you aren’t so dense, Orpheus.”

“I will not make such commitments, I’m afraid.” The shade’s fingers faltered for a moment as he tried to hide his growing grin, nearly halting entirely when the prince made a false lunge at him.

Zagreus chuckled. “Mischievous minstrel, indeed.”


End file.
